Earlier this week we reported that Foxconn - the company that helps build many of the products that are popular in the West from companies like Apple, Sony, Samsung, Microsoft and Nintendo - reported that it found underage interns working in one of its plants in Yantai, China. Today we have learned that that plant is responsible for assembling Nintendo products.

In a statement issued to Polygon, Nintendo said that it is now investigating the matter. While Nintendo did not say that this particular plant is assembling the upcoming Wii U, some speculate that it is in fact partly responsible for putting the next generation console together. That aside, Nintendo told Polygon in a statement that the company is "committed to an ethical policy on sourcing, manufacture, and labor."

The statement also noted the company's Corporate Social Responsibility Procurement guidelines are "based on relevant laws, international standards, and guidelines." Those guidelines require that suppliers to adhere to Nintendo's CSR Procurement rules: "If we were to find that any of our production partners did not meet our guidelines, we would require them to modify their practices according to Nintendo's policy." China's Labor Contract Law requires that workers be a minimum age of 16.

China Labor Watch, a Chinese workers advocacy group, offers a scathing report on the matter here. It also claims that the Wii U is being built at the plant.

Comments

It's kind of sad that Nintendo cares more about this than they fact they are the worst console manufacturer when it comes to the use of conflict minerals. They should fix their supply chain, and address these labor issues.